Guided Reading - Classroom and Small Group Management
How do you manage your guided reading time? What works for you? Please share tips, strategies, and idea for keeping your assistants informed, students on task, and everything running smoothly.
These are a few things that I have tried for the past few weeks; I am sure there are changes to come. I am eager to find out what others are trying to see if I can improve how things are going! (Jenn)
I have a schedule that shows where each group should be at for each 20 minute block of time. Students will either be with one of the adults, at a computer (often working on Compass), or independently working (silent reading or activity assigned in GR group).
Here is my basic schedule. This changes week to week. I will write down the lesson focus for each session. I use color coding in order to help make sure my lower groups have more teach-instruction while not leaving my higher groups on their own all the time. This is probably way too complicated, but this has worked for me so far! *L*
With a very tight schedule, I had no time to find out how my other guided reading groups were going. I wasn't sure if they finished the lesson or if the lesson was even a success. My current "solution" to this problem is the following file. I print the pages front/back, one page per group. You'll notice that each page is marked with the Group and has a place for their names and reading levels. I put the three adults' names along the top of each box, so all I have to do is circle the teacher they work with. Before each lesson, I try to fill in the lesson and put it in the group folder. This isn't perfect, but so far it is giving us something to work with!
Feel free to try it out and make changes to fit your needs!
I have tried different methods for keeping kids informed of what they need to do. Right now I usually give a mini-bookmark-size schedule for the week (let me know if you would like to see an example). Students like knowing when and where they will be. We have practiced appropriate transitions, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Please share some of the things you are doing or have tried. (No need to be as long winded as I was!)
Helpful Websites:
Mandy Gregory's page shares how she manages her class, including information on what the rest of the class is doing while she meets with a group.
Guided Reading - Classroom and Small Group Management
How do you manage your guided reading time? What works for you? Please share tips, strategies, and idea for keeping your assistants informed, students on task, and everything running smoothly.
Helpful Websites: